Hello my fellow Dev.to crew! If you’ve ever wondered what’s up with monoliths and microservices and why people argue about them, let me break it down to the simplest form that you can understand.

NOTE: This is for developers and techy business types who want the straight scoop, no fluff.

What’s a Monolith?

Picture a monolith as a single, all-in-one app. Everything—your homepage, login, database—is bundled together, built and run on one system. You or your team manage it end-to-end, usually with a fixed set of tools. It’s like a Swiss Army knife: handy, but if one part breaks, the whole thing’s in trouble.

What’s a Microservices Setup?

Now, microservices are more like a team of specialists. Each feature—say, login, comments, or messaging—lives on its own. You can build them with different tools, host them on different servers, even have different people handle them. If one piece crashes, the rest keep chugging along.

Real-Life Examples

Think of a monolith like Mr. Okoro’s corner store. He runs the show solo—sells, stocks, sweeps. If he’s out sick, the shop’s closed. Understood? Yes - I guess.

Microservices?

That’s Mr. Okoro teaming up with his fellow pals - each of them good with what they do best: he’s on marketing, Ali’s got the cash, Simbi keeps things organized, and I (Dev Olatunji), I’m sweet-talking clients. If one of us fumbles, the business doesn’t collapse. Why? Because, it'll adapt.

A Typical Example Of Microservices Using Facebook

Imagine Facebook splitted into chunks:

  1. Homepage - https://www.facebook.com | Hosted By - Panla Fish | Server Location - New York | Responsibility - Providing Information about the facebook platform and what it stands for

  2. Auth System - JWT | Hosted By - Google | Server Location - Florida | Responsibility - Authenticating Users

  3. Comments System - PHP | Hosted By - Hostinger | Server Location - Washington | Responsibility - Manages all comments processes

  4. Messenger System - NodeJs | Hosted By - Interserver | Server Location - Canada | Responsibility - Handles all messaging processes

  5. Mobile App - Flutter | Hosted By - Play Store & App Store | Server Location - USA | Responsibility - User interface, and interaction with all other servers.

The examples can be endless.

If the comments system go down, you can still message your pals. However, i a monolith project or ecosystem? That isn't true. One crash, and it’s a bumb blast for everything else.

Why Pick Microservices?

Here’s the deal - microservices keep your app alive even when some part breaks. Users can still do something while you fix the mess. Plus, you’re free to use whatever tools or hosting you like for each part. Flexibility for the days ahead.

Monoliths, though? They’re simpler. One codebase, one server, less to juggle. Great when you’re starting out or keeping it small.

So, Which One Should You Use?

No one's the “best” here - it’s about what fits.

FActors to consider

Cash: Microservices cost more with all those separate setups.

Crew: Big team? Microservices are your best bet. Solo or small squad? Monolith’s easier.

Goal: Tiny side project? Monolith. Next big startup? Microservices scales better.

I’ve built both, and they’ve got their moments. Depends on where you’re at.

Stuck Choosing?

If you’re scratching your head over this - or trying to level up an existing project - shoot me an email at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) with the subject “Monolith or Microservices.” Then, tell me what you’re working or have worked on, and I’ll be so glad to toss some ideas your way.

I’m Dev Olatunji, by the way. The first man to cook beans with code and, it tasted great, trust me - I think guinness world records needs to takse note of this. Lol!

Let’s figure out your next move!

I don't own the image attatched as the cover image please.